Streamer Safety Tips: How to Stream Safely on Kick
Streaming on Kick is a solid way to share your passions, build a fun community, and earn some extra cash. There are a huge range of streaming categories, and almost all types of content are good to go. But before you start streaming and developing your audience, it's important to make sure you’re safe.
While the risks involved in streaming mostly relate to privacy, there are some precautions you can take to stay protected while you do your thing. In this guide, Kick Community is here to share some golden rules for streaming safely on Kick, as well as potential risks and how to protect yourself from them.
Is Kick Streaming Safe?
Kick is a secure and safe platform with lots of measures in place to protect streamers and viewers from potential issues. Streaming is normally incredibly safe, but that’s not to say that there aren’t risks. Before streaming, you should understand these risks and how to mitigate them if you want to stay safe while using Kick.
Kick enforces strict guidelines to keep you safe while using the platform. These help to foster a healthy and positive community while ensuring that people who break the rules and put others at risk are banned. In addition, you’ll find plenty of helpful resources and tools throughout the platform to help ensure your streams are safe and fun.
It’s important to note that the platform is rapidly growing, so things can change quickly (core site updates can be found in our changelogs). Kick has a more relaxed view of what kind of content can be streamed, but user safety is always prioritized and the report button is a major feature that anyone can use to indicate a Kick channel or user breaking the rules.
The measures put in place by Kick are designed to encourage spontaneous and engaging streams while still allowing people to feel safe and ensuring the community is respectful, diverse, and dynamic.
What Are the Rules & Guidelines for Streaming?
Before using Kick, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the terms of service and streaming rules. These will affect the kind of content you can create, as well as the kind of behavior that’s tolerated.
The community guidelines apply to all users on the platform. If you see another user breaking these guidelines, you should use the report button to highlight it for review by the moderator team. Dedicated staff moderators monitor everything that goes on to ensure Kick is a safe place to stream and enjoy exclusive content.
Below are some of the main points from the community guidelines:
No Pornography
Although Kick allows 18+ content, it doesn’t permit the streaming of pornographic content. This includes full or partial nudity and overly suggestive or inappropriate content. Linking to and promoting this type of content is also against the Kick community guidelines.
No Hate Speech
Hate speech refers to any kind of content or messaging that might incite harm or encourage cyberbullying and hatred against people based on their gender, race, or sexuality. Although the platform works hard to ensure free speech is permitted, hate speech is always against the rules of Kick.
No Doxxing
Doxxing refers to revealing personal identifying information about another person on the platform. This includes any kind of confidential or private details such as the address, full name, or bank details. Information may only be revealed if express permission has been granted from that specific person.
No Botting
The practice of botting involves using bots or scripts to artificially inflate metrics such as viewing figures or followers.
No Breaking the Law, Scamming, or Impersonation
Any kind of law-breaking behavior is banned on Kick, as is scamming or impersonating other users on the online platform. Impersonation can include having usernames that are deliberately similar to other content creators. It’s also important to respect copyrights when using any streaming service.
Keep Your Channel Clean
Keeping your channel clean means labeling your streams properly and ensuring that your stream is marked as 18+ if it features content that is unsuitable for users under the age of 18. Kick prioritizes the safety and well-being of all users, particularly minors.
Rules on Gambling
While gambling streams are permitted on Kick, there are strict rules about the nature of this content. For example, you’re only allowed to stream gambling games if you’re located in a jurisdiction with legal online gambling. Additionally, it’s not permitted to gamble using tender from your viewers, including buy-ins via sweepstakes and lotteries.
No Game Hacking
Video game streaming is one of the most popular categories on Kick, and the platform wants to encourage fair and responsible gaming. This means no hacking or cheating of any kind is tolerated in multiplayer games.
What Are the Risks of Streaming?
Streaming can be a lot of fun, and Kick offers lots of ways you can monetize your streaming content. The Streamer Showcase shows off some of the success stories on the platform. However, it’s important to note that there are risks involved. Staying safe means being aware of the risks and knowing how to avoid them. Here are some of the most common risks that streamers face.
Privacy
Online privacy is perhaps the biggest and most important concern that streamers need to worry about. Whenever you go live, there’s always a risk that you could inadvertently reveal personal information about yourself. Some streamers are more cautious about privacy than others. While you want your followers to be able to connect with you, it’s a good idea to be cautious about giving away sensitive information.
If you spend a lot of time engaging with your audience, it’s natural that you’ll chat with your viewers about all kinds of different things. However, you have to be careful that you never reveal anything that could be used against you. This includes your full name, address, and sensitive details you wouldn’t want to be public.
Although doxxing is against community guidelines, several high-profile streamers have had it happen to them before. This can also result in more serious attacks such as DDoSing or Swatting, where your stream is disabled, or police are called to your address. For this reason, it’s incredibly important to take proper precautions to protect your privacy.
Security
Security risks are also something you need to consider before streaming. For instance, your Kick account could be compromised by a hacker if you don’t have strong security settings enabled. If you’re earning money on Kick, it can become a target for cybercriminals. Additionally, any personal information you reveal could become a security risk.
While these risks are less common, the impact can potentially be very serious. All the hard work you’ve put into building your channel and growing your following could be undone by the work of a single hacker. Although Kick has safeguards in place to prevent this, you’re still responsible for the security of your account.
Harassment & Online Hate
While rare, some streamers may find themselves subjected to hate or harassment. This is specifically against the Kick community guidelines, and you should always report any harassment or hate speech you see on streams or in chat.
How to Protect Yourself as a Streamer
Staff Moderators on Kick work hard to ensure the guidelines are adhered to and that both streamers and users are safe. Still, there are steps that you should be taking so you can stream safely and have fun. Here are some of the ways you can protect yourself while using Kick:
Be Mindful of Your Privacy
Whenever you go live, it’s important to consider your privacy and avoid giving away information about yourself. For example, most streamers prefer not to use their real names. While it’s fine to talk to your viewers about your day and life, avoid revealing too much that could lead to you being doxxed.
Always remember that when you’re streaming, your content can be clipped and saved. Think about what kind of information about yourself you’d be comfortable being permanently online. This is especially important if you often use a webcam.
Mind that your streaming area is clear of any personal information or important documents. If other people are in your household, inform them when you’re going live with a webcam so they know not to disturb you.
Set up an AFK screen to omit the webcam source and mic while away from the keyboard. This will ensure you don’t accidentally reveal anything private without realizing it. Check your privacy settings before you stream to ensure everything is how you want it.
Most streamers use social media platforms to help grow their presence online and advertise their stream URL. You should create an account specifically for your streams rather than using an existing personal account. It’s also a good idea to avoid using location tagging if you don’t want to reveal where you live.
Secure Your Kick Account
You need to ensure your account is secure before you start streaming. Even if you only have a few followers, hackers could still target it if your security isn’t adequate. Kick has many features in place to protect you, but you still have to use them if you want to be secure.
Your first step to securing your Kick account is using a strong password. This means a string of letters, numbers, and special symbols that’s at least 12 characters long. It should always be unique, not one you use for any other service. That way, even if hackers manage to gain control of your account, they won’t be able to access any of your other accounts.
Aside from ensuring you have good password security, it’s recommended that you use two-factor authentication. This way, even if your password is cracked, hackers won’t be able to log into your account unless they have access to your authenticator. It’s easy to set up, and while it might make it more difficult to log in, the benefits are that you won’t need to worry about your account being hacked.
If you’re a Kick affiliate with a large following, looking after your account security is increasingly important. However, all streamers need to be mindful of the risks. Make sure you use trusted streaming apps and avoid giving out your stream key to third-party services.
Help Foster a Positive Community
Hate and harassment can unfortunately happen online over social media, and it’s something that streamers may something experience. Thankfully, there are ways you can prevent this and tools to help you control it.
You can help avoid hate and harassment by building a positive and respectful community. Streamers who regularly interact with their viewers, set clear chat rules, and encourage positivity are less likely to experience negative comments and bullying. Avoiding sensitive topics such as politics is often advised but not always necessary.
For streamers with a larger following and busy chat, it might be a good idea to hire community moderators who help enforce community guidelines. Side kicks can provide assistance where needed, and there are also tools you can use to limit hate and negativity in your chat.
Chat filters are the simplest and most popular tools to moderate streaming communities. You can easily set these up to block spam and certain words or phrases. However, never block your full name or address, as this could confirm it to potential doxxers.
Aside from filters, you can use the chat feature commands such as slow mode and followers only. These will help reduce spam and make it easier for you and your moderators to ban or timeout users who are rude or obnoxious in your chat.
Dos & Don’ts of Being a Streamer
Here are some dos and don’ts to help you stay safe while streaming and building your following:
| Do’s | Don’ts |
|---|---|
| ✅ Interact with your viewers | ❌ Don’t tell your viewers personal information about yourself |
| ✅ Collaborate with other streamers | ❌ Don’t impersonate others or use your followers to spam their chat |
| ✅ Post about streams on social media like Discord, X (Twitter), and Instagram | ❌ Don’t post revealing information on the same social media account |
| ✅ Report streams or messages that break community guidelines | ❌ Don’t suffer in silence if you’re suffering from hate or harassment |
| ✅ Use tools to timeout or ban them if they’re persistent | ❌ Don’t give negative and hateful chatters attention |
| ✅ Use your webcam and microphone to interact with your viewers | ❌ Don’t forget to use an AFK screen when you go away, even if it’s only for a minute |
| ✅ Use account security features | ❌ Don’t click links in chat unless you trust the person it’s from |
| ✅ Have fun, and stream how you want to stream | ❌ Don’t change what you do because of negativity, as long as you follow the community guidelines |
General Online Safety Tips
Whether you’re streaming, watching streams, or doing anything else online, you need to take precautions to protect yourself. Although the internet can be a lot of fun, there’s always the risk of malware, cybercrime, and harassment. Thankfully, staying safe is relatively straightforward. Here are some general online safety tips for you to follow:
Always Use Strong Passwords & Two-Factor Authentication
Create unique, strong passwords for every account you use online. Ensure you have two-factor authentication in place, especially for accounts dealing with sensitive information or money. Verify your account with email verification to get alerts when it’s used by an unknown IP.
Never Click on Links From People You Don’t Know
Links can be used for phishing attacks, spreading malware, and other nefarious reasons. Always avoid clicking on links that are sent to you unless you know that person. Be wary of the fact that someone may have had their account hacked. Some messages may also designed to look like a person or company you trust.
Avoid Sharing Too Many Personal Details
Social media has made sharing personal information online normal. However, it’s a good idea to look after your privacy if you want to stay safe online. Social media posts and location settings can be used to work out where you live or when you’re away from home.
Only Shop From Secure Sites
If you’re making a payment online, it’s essential to check the site you’re using is secure. Look for the padlock or https rather than http in the address bar to confirm that encryption is used. This will ensure your payment details are safe.
Keep Software Up to Date
Software needs to be updated regularly to avoid potential exploits and hacks that could reveal your personal information. Make sure any apps or programs you use on your device are up to date, especially if you use them for important functions like banking.
Be Aware of Common Scams
Scams are the most common form of cybercrime, where the criminal tricks the victim using a complex scheme. It can be challenging to recognize these if you’re not familiar with them, so it pays to read up on the latest scams and how they work.
Should You Start Streaming on Kick?
All kinds of streams are welcome on Kick, and whether you love video games, art, music, gambling, or just chatting with others, you could become a streamer today. It’s really easy to get started. Provided you take precautions, it can be a lot of fun.
Streaming can even be a great way to make money if you’re able to build a following and become successful. At Kick, you receive 100% of the donations your viewers give and 95% of the money from subscriptions when you become an affiliate.
Thanks to the exciting potential of a growing platform, some of the most popular streamers, such as AdinRoss, are now featured on Kick. If you do decide to take the plunge and start your first stream, here are some tips to help you grow your audience and be successful on Kick:
- Be consistent – Create a streaming schedule and stick to it. Streamers who are consistent are far more likely to build a following, as viewers are more likely to see your streams again if you’re regular.
- Use the right equipment - As a streamer, you need a setup that’s comfortable while also ensuring you can stream in high definition. Make sure you have suitable streaming equipment to capture the best video and audio quality.
- Engage with your viewers – Engaging with viewers is one of the best ways to turn the people watching your streams into loyal fans. Chat with them about their day, make jokes, tell them stories, and interact with them as much as possible. Elsewhere on the platform, join events and collaborate with other streamers.
- Be yourself – A lot of streamers try to adopt a persona when creating content, but this often comes across as being unauthentic and is easy to see through. Be yourself and make video content that you enjoy. Your followers will love you for it.
- Promote your stream – Make sure you promote yourself and your streams on other platforms. Use social media sites to inform your viewers of upcoming streamers, post content from previous streams, and make announcements to keep followers in the loop.
